Ellen Trotta Carmody Appointed as Addiction and Recovery Advisor
At the April 2 meeting of the Franklin Lakes Mayor and Council, Mayor Charles J.X. Kahwaty appointed Ellen Trotta Carmody as the Borough's Addiction and Recovery Advisor. In this position, Ellen will support REACH in its efforts to combat the abuse of drugs and alcohol by serving as a confidential point person for individuals and families in need. This dedicated resource is the cornerstone of the Borough’s Substance Abuse Awareness Initiative, which has been spearheaded by REACH.
Ellen Trotta Carmody is a former resident of Franklin Lakes and raised her triplets in town. She is a former lector at Most Blessed Sacrament and former President of the Franklin Lakes Library Capital Campaign.
Ellen’s son, Frank Trotta, passed away on October 16, 2022, at the age of 26 from an accidental overdose and fentanyl poisoning. She is honoring her son’s memory as a Parent Member Speaker with Alumni in Recovery, a Bergen County nonprofit. Alumni in Recovery Parent Member Speakers work alongside young adults in extended recovery and speak in area schools and at community events. They work to spread awareness, educate and reduce the stigma of substance use disorder, with the goal of saving lives. Frank is one of the beloved posters in The Black Poster Project, made up of close to 700 posters of lives lost to overdose. Among its many area dates, The Black Poster Project will be on display at the May 15, 2024 Living Lessons Day at the Franklin Avenue Middle School. Alumni in Recovery and The Black Poster Project were recently featured in the January issue of Franklin Lakes Living Magazine.
Ellen is interested in working with the community to help other families who have a loved one struggling with addiction. “When Frankie needed help, I was not aware of the abundance of resources offered by Franklin Lakes and Bergen County. As I have lived with the unknown and terrifying situation of needing to provide help to my son and not knowing where to turn, I’d like to save others from this pain. “
Ellen will be available by cell phone (201-466-1408) and email (reach@franklinlakes.org) to Franklin Lakes residents. She will assist those in crisis or those who need guidance on substance abuse issues by referring them to appropriate services to address their needs. All communications with Ellen will be strictly confidential.
In addition to her role in emergency referrals, Ellen will work with REACH, the Police Department, the Ambulance Corps and the Borough to develop and participate in appropriate programming and communications to assist in addressing the substance abuse epidemic.
REACH Chairman Frank O’Brien says, “I have had the opportunity to work with Ellen and sincerely believe she will be an instrumental partner to our program. Ellen brings with her, not only experience, but kind and compassionate awareness that will help any of our residents.”
If you need help and don’t know where to turn, please reach out to Ellen Trotta Carmody at 201-446-1408, or by email at reach@franklinlakes.org.
Ellen Trotta Carmody is a former resident of Franklin Lakes and raised her triplets in town. She is a former lector at Most Blessed Sacrament and former President of the Franklin Lakes Library Capital Campaign.
Ellen’s son, Frank Trotta, passed away on October 16, 2022, at the age of 26 from an accidental overdose and fentanyl poisoning. She is honoring her son’s memory as a Parent Member Speaker with Alumni in Recovery, a Bergen County nonprofit. Alumni in Recovery Parent Member Speakers work alongside young adults in extended recovery and speak in area schools and at community events. They work to spread awareness, educate and reduce the stigma of substance use disorder, with the goal of saving lives. Frank is one of the beloved posters in The Black Poster Project, made up of close to 700 posters of lives lost to overdose. Among its many area dates, The Black Poster Project will be on display at the May 15, 2024 Living Lessons Day at the Franklin Avenue Middle School. Alumni in Recovery and The Black Poster Project were recently featured in the January issue of Franklin Lakes Living Magazine.
Ellen is interested in working with the community to help other families who have a loved one struggling with addiction. “When Frankie needed help, I was not aware of the abundance of resources offered by Franklin Lakes and Bergen County. As I have lived with the unknown and terrifying situation of needing to provide help to my son and not knowing where to turn, I’d like to save others from this pain. “
Ellen will be available by cell phone (201-466-1408) and email (reach@franklinlakes.org) to Franklin Lakes residents. She will assist those in crisis or those who need guidance on substance abuse issues by referring them to appropriate services to address their needs. All communications with Ellen will be strictly confidential.
In addition to her role in emergency referrals, Ellen will work with REACH, the Police Department, the Ambulance Corps and the Borough to develop and participate in appropriate programming and communications to assist in addressing the substance abuse epidemic.
REACH Chairman Frank O’Brien says, “I have had the opportunity to work with Ellen and sincerely believe she will be an instrumental partner to our program. Ellen brings with her, not only experience, but kind and compassionate awareness that will help any of our residents.”
If you need help and don’t know where to turn, please reach out to Ellen Trotta Carmody at 201-446-1408, or by email at reach@franklinlakes.org.